September 1, 2022

Dear Students and Parents/Guardians of Fair Lawn High School:

As Labor Day weekend is upon us, and with it the last days of summer break, I wanted to follow up on a few of the items listed in the welcoming letter I sent a few weeks ago. There is some additional information as well. All of this is designed to provide information in advance of the first day of school on Tuesday, September 6, and to clarify any potential misunderstandings.

Please understand that all actions we take are motivated by our desire to support student academic success and ensure the safety and security of our students, staff and visitors.

The original text of what I wrote in the welcome letter is in italics below. Any updates are bulleted and written in bold below each item.

“...all FLHS students will have district-issued laptops for educational use. As such, there is no longer a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program, and cell phone use, particularly in classes, will be curtailed.”

• Use of cell phones/devices in the classroom or in any academic setting is prohibited, as they are a disruption to the learning environment. The only exception is if the classroom teacher/supervising staff member gives explicit permission. Teachers/supervising staff members may request that students place their cell phone/device in a collection receptacle in the room. Before or after school, during passing times in hallways or during a student’s lunch period, a cell phone/device may be used in a manner that is not disruptive to those around them (no loud conversations, viewing of inappropriate material, etc.). Only one earbud may be in, allowing for students to hear emergency announcements and be aware of their surroundings. Students may not activate the video, camera, or sound recording functions of their device at any time, unless they are given permission by a supervising staff member. Disciplinary consequences will be issued for violations of the above guidelines, especially when device use takes place in bathrooms, locker rooms or other private areas.

“Please bear in mind, however, that changes due to staffing and other needs will continue to take place even after schedules are posted.”

• Some staff members that were hired over the summer may be delayed in beginning their job assignments. The hiring process has been exceptionally challenging. We appreciate your patience as adjustments continue to be made. If you have any questions about one of your child’s classes, etc, please contact me.

“OPENING OF SCHOOL:

“On Tuesday, September 6, 2022, we will begin the new school year. The first day of school will be a full day with staggered opening times, an 8-period schedule for all, including lunch, and dismissal at the regular time of 2:35 pm. Ninth graders and all new students will come to school at 7:55 am to attend a special orientation program. All returning students (10th, 11th and 12th graders) will start school at 9:55 am and are asked not to come into school before 9:50 am so that 9th graders and new students will have a better opportunity to find their way around the building before it gets crowded. On Wednesday, September 7, all students will report at 7:55 am to their first-period class and follow a regular schedule.”

• Please click here to see the schedule for Tuesday, September 6. Once again, only Grade 9 and new students are coming in at 7:55 am, all returning students report at 9:55 am.

“DAILY LOGISTICS:

“Students may enter FLHS no earlier than 7:30 am, unless they have a Period 0 class or an appointment with a staff member. There are three entrances, two on the Berdan Avenue side of the school and one in the back parking lot (off Fairclough Avenue). As we continue to enhance pedestrian safety and school security, there will be changes to the morning drop-off procedure; further information about this will be communicated in late August.”

• For the safety of our students and staff on school grounds at morning entry, there will be no vehicle access to the D-wing parking lot (off Fairclough Place) in the morning. Vehicle access to the A-wing parking lot (off Burbank Street) continues to be restricted. Vehicles are still permitted to access the “horseshoe” drop-off zone off Berdan Avenue. Drop-off zones have been created on Fairclough Place and Burbank Street, as seen on this map. During the first few weeks of school, this change is likely to increase vehicle traffic near FLHS in the morning. Please plan accordingly and arrive at school early - once again, doors open at 7:30am.

“As you are aware, we made a number of changes to our daily routines in light of the COVID-19 pandemic… Meetings and events may be held either in-person or virtually, depending upon the nature of the activity. A survey administered last school year to our FLHS community revealed that a virtual format was preferable for some programs, which we consider when planning for this coming school year.”

• Per Superintendent Norcia’s letter of August 26, remote instruction is no longer available for students who are not attending school due to COVID. Close contacts no longer need to quarantine, and the district is not contact tracing. The vast majority of our meetings and gatherings will be held in person this school year. On occasion, we may hold a virtual program or meeting, if the content and circumstances dictate, but this will not be the norm.

“SCHOOL IDENTIFICATION:

For security reasons, all students will be required to wear their school-issued FLHS student ID card…If a student loses their ID card, they must have one reprinted in the school library for a fee of $8.00.”

• We are not allowing for student self-submission of photos at this time. ID/Yearbook photos will be taken for all Grade 9-11 students on September 16 (Grade 12 photos were taken at the end of last school year). In the weeks after that, all students will be issued ID cards. All returning students were issued lanyards last school year; grade 9 and new students will be given lanyards along with their ID cards. Every student must wear their ID card during the school day. The only exceptions are for settings where doing so may pose a danger (physical education, shop work, science labs, etc.). ID cards may be clipped to clothing as well, so long as they are clearly visible. Disciplinary action will be taken for violation of this security measure.

“LUNCH PROCEDURES”

• Students of all grade levels may leave school during their lunch period, explicit permission is not required. With that said, our cafeteria renovations are looking great! Later this school year, we expect to have locations where students will scan their ID card when leaving and entering the building. If you have any questions or concerns about students leaving for lunch, please reach out to me.

• A video summary of the changes to federal school lunch funding is found in English and Spanish. Since lunch is no longer free for all students, you will have to complete the forms found on the district website to apply for free lunch and breakfast.

• No food/lunch deliveries to FLHS allowed! Sorry UberEats, DoorDash, etc…

“BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT

This year we will hold our annual Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at 7:00 PM.”

• See you then in the FLHS Auditorium!

Please be reminded of Meet the Coaches Night for all 3 seasons (fall, winter and spring) on Wednesday, September 7. Here is the invitation and agenda for the evening.

A new school year always brings hope and excitement. For so many reasons, the 2022-2023 school year is shaping up to be a truly awesome one at FLHS! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out. See you next week!

Paul Gorski

Principal